Boys soccer preview
Preseason reports submitted by area coaches:
CLASS 4A GREATER ST. HELENS LEAGUE
BATTLE GROUND: No report received
CAMAS
Coach: Roland Minder
Key players: Roldan Alcobendas, sr.
Outlook: The Papermakers bring a young team into their first year in the 4A GSHL, after losing four players to the Timbers Academy. Alcobendas, an all-league first-team midfielder last year, is battling an early-season injury.
EVERGREEN
Coach: Kennan Burris
Key players: Oscar Perez, jr., gk; Ryan Ashbaker, sr.; Conner Finnegan, jr.; Ilya Zhividze, jr.
Outlook: Plainsmen bring a young roster, but still look to remain competitive in the league. Ashbaker was a first-team all-league pick last season.
HERITAGE: No report received
SKYVIEW
Coach: Jenn Johnson
Key players: Austin Horner, jr., mid; Carter Johnson, jr., mid; Bobby Hutchin, sr., mid; Evan Laws, jr., gk.
Outlook: The Storm bring back a strong group of returning players from last seasons’s state championship squad. But there will be holes to fill from graduated seniors and players who left the program for the Timbers Academy. But the Storm have a winning attitude and high expectations this season.
UNION
Coach: Kelcey Burris
Key players: Tyler Shadix, sr.; Nathaniel Cheney, sr.; Pasha Hashemi, sr.; Mitch Wheelon, sr.
Outlook: Skyview won the state championship last season, but the Titans are defending 4A GSHL champions. Shadix, Cheney, Hashemi and Wheelon are all four-year varsity players.
3A GREATER ST. HELENS LEAGUE
COLUMBIA RIVER: No report received
FORT VANCOUVER
Coach: Garen Bedoyan
Key players: Esau Moreno, sr.; Dmitriy Tkachenko, so.; Jacob Ulrey, sr.; Carlos Rodriguez, fr.
Outlook: Behind senior leadership of Moreno and Ulrey, the Trappers will look to make big push for its first winning season in Bedoyan’s three-year tenure as coach. Trappers consider themselves a playoff team.
HUDSON’S BAY: No report received
KELSO: No report received
MOUNTAIN VIEW
Coach: Jeff Brooks
Key players: Rylan Berriman, sr., fwd; Marshall Hartley, sr., mid; Christian Asivido, jr., gk; Michael Beauchamp, jr., mid.
Outlook: The Thunder advanced to the 3A state semifinals last year, and now their chief rival from last year has moved to the 4A GSHL. Mountain View has 12 returning players, including six starters. Berriman is a league player-of-the-year candidate.
PRAIRIE
Coach: Mike Mikelson
Key players: Nick Vanveen, sr., def.; Chris Hogan, jr., Riley Bufford, sr., def; Stefan Thyron, sr., mid; Mackenzie Stone, so., fwd; Alex Cochell, so., Ben Stevenson, so., gk; Christian Thyron, fr., mid.
Outlook: Falcons will look to underclassmen to step in and replace a big number of graduated seniors. But the Falcons look to remain competitive in league. Vanveen was a first-team all-league defender.
2A GREATER ST. HELENS LEAGUE
HOCKINSON
Coach: Ron Sparks
Key players: Brett Sparks, jr., mid; Shawn Marion, sr.; Mitchell Pinney, so.; Casey Turner, jr., gk; Emmanual Gil, sr.
Outlook: The Hawks are coming off a league championship and have several returning players. Sparks, Marion and Pinney were first-team all-league players last season. Turner recorded nine shutouts in 2012.
MARK MORRIS
Coach: Harold West
Key players: Max Westevelt, sr.; Riley Aloe, jr.; Ian Cheslock, sr.
Outlook: The Monarchs expect to be a playoff team.
R.A. LONG: No report received
RIDGEFIELD
Coach: Jason Staley
Key players: Tanner Konkright, sr.; Jared Williams, jr.; Kyle Morris, jr.; Charlie Hauser, jr.
Outlook: The Spudders advanced to the state semifinals in Class 1A last season and look prepared to make the jump to the 2A GSHL this season. Konkright is a two-time all-state player. Williams, Morris and Hauser are all-league players.
WASHOUGAL
Coach: John Tyger
Key players: Thomas Normandeau, Spencer Carnera, Reil Lord, Patrick Johnsn, Elesey Razumovskiy.
Outlook: The Panthers advanced to the 2A state playoffs last year. Washougal brings a strong core of players back from that team, and the familiarity with each other will be a strength. It will be important as Washougal lost five seniors from last year’s squad.
1A TRICO LEAGUE
WOODLAND
Coach: Bryan Vogel
Key players: Dillan Beckwith, jr.; Fernando Martin-Meana, sr.; Juan Mosqueda, fr.; Henry Warndahl, sr.; Vince Dizon, sr.
Outlook: The Beavers are still rebuilding their program. Woodland hopes its moved down from 2A to 1A will help them in this process. Martin-Meana is an exchange student from Spain.
No other team reports received
